Swim and gymnasium sandal with variable adjustment straps



1949 E. SAUKKONEN 2,436,836

SWIM AND GYMNASIUM SANDAL WITH VARIABLE ADJUSTMENT STRAPS Filed March 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTOR. ZZko 5 2a2ar2er2 Nov. 1, 1949 E. SAUKKONEN. 2,486,886

SWIM AND GYMNASIUM SANDAL WITH VARIABLE ADJUSTMENT STRAPS Filed March 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

2220 Salli/ @1292 BY AW/VE) Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWIM AND GYMNASIUM SANDAL WITH VARIABLE ADJUSTMENT STRAPS Eino Saukkonen, New York, N. Y.

Application March 14, 1947, Serial No. 734,807

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful im provements in footwear, and more particularly the invention aims to provide a novel and valuable article of footwear of the sandal type, especially adapted for use in swimming, in the gymnasium and for like purposes.

An object is to provide a comfortable and practical sandal, and at the same time one of the snap-on type.

A further object is to provide such a sandal and one which can be sold very cheaply, so cheaply, indeed, that gymnasiums, hotels, and places such as bathing establishments at the seashore, may supply a new pair of sandals to patrons gratis or at nominal price.

Thus an aim of the invention is to provide a sandal of such trifling cost that when desired the sandal may be discarded after one use. Nevertheless, another object is to provide a sandal which can be reused, and reused, when desired, after its return from the laundry as fiat wash.

A feature of the invention is that the new sandal, while including a portion to underlie the sole of the foot and also including other portions to be wrapped about the sides and top of the fore part of the foot and around the ankle, incorporates a main component which is a normally flat blank. Thus, a stock of the sandals may be piled on a shelf for general storage or laid flatly in a box for compact packaging.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of the invention spread flat, the same comprising a main blank and a lesser blank, together with suitable fastening means.

Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the parts of Fig. 1 rearranged to provide a snap-on sandal pursuant to the invention.

Fig. 4 is also a perspective view, looking toward the left in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing another embodiment, with this form of the ining another embodiment of the invention, this comprising a main blank and a minor blank, together with suitable fastening means; the main blank being spread fiat, but the minor blank being here shown as detachably connected to the main blank in the way these parts would finally be connected when the snap-on sandal is worn.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the sandal last referred to with all its parts arranged as they would be when the sandal is worn.

Referring generally to the drawing, it is explained that sheet material thicknesses are considerably exaggerated, in order to make readily clear all the structures illustrated in perspective in exemplification of the invention.

The sheet materials employed are preferably of a very inexpensive nature, such as thin cloth, or even paper, or indeed any other suitable material. Desirably, the sheet material is of a kind such that a fair amount of wear will be afforded, in which case, the paper, if paper is used, might be a medium tough paper, perhaps treated with a suitable water-repellant solution and perhaps further fortified by laminating say a sheet of paper, then a sheet of a loose-mesh type of textile material such as cheesecloth, and then another sheet of paper.

When the sandal is made of cloth, or of a paper not treated with a water repellant, the sheet material'employed is preferably of a kind to facilitate quick air drying of the sandal when it is spreadfiat after use, as, for instance, on the sand at a beach.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, this snap-on sandal according to the invention comprises merely the blank I0, the added strip l l, and the plurality of sna fastener elements l2, l4, l5, I6, I! and I8. The blank I0 is of an avicular outline, that is, one suggesting the body and back-stretched wings of a bird in flight; such wings being indicated at l9 and 20.

The strip ll covers what may be called the body of the bird, and along the longitudinal center line of said strip the same is suitably attached, as by stitching 2| to blank I0, also along the longitudinal center line of the latter.

In Figs. 2 and 3, the blank l0, having attached thereto the other parts just mentioned, is shown rearranged to provide a swim or gymnasium sandal, with now the strip ll forming an inner sole, the corresponding area of the blank H3 forming an outer sole, the fairly wide root portions l9 and 2|] of the wings l9 and 20 forming the vamp ahead of which is an opening l3 forward of the pocketing of the toes by the vamp, and at the 3 extreme rear a quarter of strip-type embracing the ankle above the top of the rearward swell of the heel; said quarter being provided by the wings I9 and 20.

The blank |B together with the strip I, is quickly readjusted from its flat condition shown in Fig. l, to constitute the comfortable and snug piece of footwear, of the sandal type, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, merely by laying the root portion 2|] over the root portion I9 to superpose the snap fastener element l4 over the fastener element l2, and pressing said elements together to couple them; and thereafter by drawing the wings l9 and 2!] rearwardly and wrapping them around the ankle to superpose the fastener elements |5.and l6 over the elements I1 and. I8, respectively, and,

then pressing said elements together to couple the element I to the element l1 and to couple. element It to the element l8.

Referring next to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this snap-on sandal pursuant to the invention is shown ascomprising merely a blank 22 and five snap fasteners elements 23, 24, 25, 26, and 21. While a strip similar to the strip H is not shown, such strip or some equivalent may be employed if desired, to provide an inner sole as in Figs. 1, to 4. Since the snap fastener elements 23 and 24 are to mate, one is of the socket type and the other of the post type; and since the fastener element 25 is to mate with a selected one of the elements 23 and 21, according as snugness of fit is desired for a larger or smaller foot the, elements 26 and 2! will both be of the socket type if the, element 25 is of the post type, and vicev versa.

It will be noted that the blank 22 at one side where it carries the extension 28 is not extended further laterally than about the degree of extension of the root portion 20 of the blank ill. The blank 22, at its opposite, side, however, is provided with a slenderized wing. 29 of considerably longer length than the-wing I9. In other respects, the blank 22 is of substantially the same outline as the blank II].

In Fig. 6, the blank 22 is shown with its parts rearranged to provide a swim or gymnasium'sandal, with now the portion 28 and the corresponding portion at the root of the wing 29 forming avamp ahead of which is an opening 30,,and with a strip-type closure for going around the ankle;

this closure, it will be noted, being provided wholly by the wing 29.

The blank 22 is also quickly readjusted from its flat condition to constitute a comfortable and snug article of footwear of the sandal type. In the present case this is done merely by laying the portion 28 over the root portion of the wing 29 to superposethe snap fastener element 23 over the element 24 and pressing said elements together to couple them; and thereafter by drawing the wing 29 rearwardly and wrapping it around the rear of the ankle to superpose one of the fastener elements 26 and 21 over the element 25 and then pressing such two elements togetherv to couple them.

Referring to the form of the invention shown in Figs. '7 and 8, a snap-on sandal pursuant to the invention is here illustrated as'comprising a main blank 3|, a minor blank 32, and ten snap fastener elements, six of which, those marked 33, 34, 35, 36, 3B and 40, are carried by the main blank 3|, and four of which, those marked 4 l, 42, 43 and 44, are carried by the minor blank 32.

The major blank 3| is substantially of the same outline as that of the blank of Fig. 1, but with 4 side extensions merely corresponding to the wing root portions I 9 and Here the portions last referred to are marked 45 and 4G. The minor blank 32 is merely a tape or strip which, as shown, may be of uniform width all along its length.

As already similarly stated in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6, a minor strip corresponding to the strip may also be added, and secured in place the same as described in connection with Figs. 1 through 4 if desired, to provide an inner sole to lie against the central portion of the main blank 3| along the width and length of the latter, which width of said central'portion is indicated by the width of the rear" projection 4'1 from the blank 3|.

In Fig. 8, the main blank 3| of Fig. 7, after the minor blank 32 preferably has been preliminarily detached and then later reattached as shown in Fig. 8, is illustrated as having been rearranged to. provide, together with the minor I blank 32, a snap-on sandal according to the invention.

Now, it will be noted, projection 4'! and the central portion of the blank 3| ahead of said pro- J'ection provide the sole, the mutually overlapped portions and 46 form the vampwith a head of the latter forming an opening 48, and the blank 32 wrapped around the ankle provides a striptype closure. The blank 32 may beef sufficiently reduced length to employ said blank 32 merely to engage the rear of the ankle for drawing the fore part of the foot snugly into the vamp.

The parts shown in Fig. '7 also are quickly and easily transformed into the sandal of Fig. 8, merely by laying the portion 45 of the blank 3| over the portion 46 thereof to superpose the snap fastener elements 33 and 34 over the elements 35 and 36, respectively, and then pressing said elements together to couple them; and thereafter by wrapping the blank 32 around the ankle as indicated in Fig. 8, and then coupling two snap fastener elements on the blank 3| with two such elements on the blank 32. One of the two snap fastener elements at one end of the blank 32,

.these elements marked 43 and 44, is coupled to hidden in Fig. 8, is illustrated in Fig. 7.

The embodiment just described includes a feature not shown in the other forms of the invention; that is, the use of two sets of snap fasteners, rather than one such set, for establishing the vamp. The embodiment last described also includes a feature not shown in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6; that is, the use of two sets of snap fasteners, selectively, instead of one, for attaching an end of a strip-type closure to the vamp. As will be understood, however, any feature shown in any of the illustrated embodiments may be used in any embodiment of the invention.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

An article of manufacture comprising a onepiece flat sheet of thin flexible material having a center portion including in sequence from front to rear, a sole, a shank and a heel, a rearwardly and outwardly tapering lateral wing extending from each side of said sole, one of said wings having a front snap fastener part and a rear snap fastener part and the other of said wings having a snap fastener part correspondingly positioned to said first snap fastener part and adapted to be secured to said front snap fastener part when said wings are curled in overlapping relation to form a sandal top over said sole leaving the toe portion open, and a rearwardly and outwardly extending strap integral with said other wing at the rear end of said wing and having at its free end a snap fastener part adapted to be secured to said rear snap fastener part when said strap is curled over said heel to form a sandal back unconnected to said heel, whereby said strap provides a smooth uninterrupted and unobstructed inner surface for engaging a human heel.

EINO SAUKKONEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

